


to create a new world order

by i_was_human



Series: forged from flame [1]
Category: Lost in Translation (Webcomic)
Genre: Dragon Riders, Friendship, Gen, Kings & Queens, Magic, Mentioned Bigotry & Prejudice, No beta we die like mne, Plants, Politics, minsoo is lowkey whipped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:14:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27011077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_was_human/pseuds/i_was_human
Summary: Minsoo, the king of the Northern Kingdom, is supposed to receive the Ice King - the first king of the Western Kingdom to open his borders in nearly 150 years.It goes about as well as can be expected.
Relationships: Kang Dongho | D.Min & Lee Minsoo
Series: forged from flame [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981847
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	to create a new world order

When Minsoo first meets the Ice King of the West, it's nothing like he expected.

That is to say, he doesn't meet the man at all.

No - his first encounter with the Ice King of the West is in the form of his dragon, Nyx, romping around with Mitchta. 

"Wh- _who are you_?" he shrieks, pushing the dragon's snouts apart. "Why are you _here_!"

Nyx simply blows smoke out of their nose.

It's odd, Minsoo thinks, seeing another imperial around here. All the ones he's seen are white or blue, and this one is black and violet, clad in armor with a sword at its side-

oh, _fuck_.

The imperial is the Royal's Breed, and there's only one reason an unfamiliar one would be here.

The Ice King was supposed to visit today.

(not for the first time, Minsoo regrets spending the day in the library.)

"Where is he?" Minsoo groans, reaching up to rake a hand through his hair. The motion disturbs his crown, and he groans once more, gaze drifting to the palace.

The Ice King is known for his dark and cold kingdom, and the Northern Palace is blinding at the best of times.

Hopefully he hasn't gone completely blind.

"You," Minsoo snaps, leaning up to poke Nyx's nose, " _play nice_."

The dragon stares at him, unimpressed, and really, Minsoo thinks, that should've clued him in as to how the interactions with the Ice King himself would go.

* * *

Surprisingly, the Ice King is _not_ , as Minsoo feared, stealing state secrets.

After the last Western King they know of - Enother, the Traitor King - brought the other kingdoms to their knees before shutting off his own entirely, the Western Kingdom has had the worst reputation of all four kingdoms, and the fact that none of their kings have been seen in generations isn't helping that.

Minsoo's probably going to be the first one to see a Western King in years.

So no pressure, or anything.

He passes by the gardens before stopping short, gaze drifting to a head of dark hair standing in the center. 

_Oh_.

None of the Northern Kingdom's inhabitants have hair that dark, so this _must_ be the king.

"Ice King?" he ventures, and the man turns, dark goggles hiding his hair and a thick jacket hanging off his shoulders.

He looks-

a little intimidating, honestly. 

"Hi," the man lamely replies, reaching up to wave a bare hand at him, and the entire scene is just _fucking hilarious_.

Minsoo's out of his royal finery, the only thing giving away his status the crown on his head, and the Ice King wears only a silver circlet in his dark hair, wildly overdressed for the sweltering greenhouses and most likely boiling alive.

"You can take off your jacket," Minsoo laughs, and the Ice King shakes his head.

"Thank you for the offer, Minsoo-ssi, but I'll have to refuse."

"Wh- you know my name?"

The man bristles a bit, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "News travels into the Western Kingdom, you know."

"It doesn't travel _out_ ," Minsoo grouses, "so you have me at a disadvantage."

Honestly, the only reason any of them know _anything_ about the Ice King is because he's been making an active effort to repair their nation's damaged bonds. From what Minsoo's heard, he's an excellent tracker, preferring to keep to the shadows, and he never loses his cool.

The man in front of him looks _incredibly flustered_.

Or maybe that's just the heat.

"Kang Dongho," the man states, and Minsoo grins, offering a hand.

"Lee Minsoo! It's nice to meetcha!"

"Nice to meet you as well," Dongho replies, taking his hand, and Minsoo nearly shivers as the cold, scarred hand grasps his own.

"Why are your hands so scarred?"

"The art of dragon-training is one lost to our nation," Dongho mutters, casting his gaze to the flowers, before he blinks. "I should not be telling you this."

"Keep going!" Minsoo encourages, and Dongho sighs.

"It's been some time since I've had to talk with people outside my own kingdom. I'm out of practice."

"But I'm _curious_ ," Minsoo whines, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Is it true that your children play with knives before they can walk?"

"Is it true that _your_ children are left to die in the cold if they're too weak?"

"Wh- _no_!" Minsoo protests, and Dongho dips his head.

"People build lies about other kingdoms to justify their hatred."

"Ah."

A long silence.

"You don't have to speak formally with me, you know."

Dongho's lips quirk a bit, and Minsoo decides to count that as a smile.

"And you can take off your goggles!"

"I'd rather not."

" _Why_?"

"Your palace is too bright."

"Really?"

"You should come to _Dún's Mír_ ," Dongho states, gaze drifting to the windows. "Or as some of us call it, _Torech -o Úgerth_."

"I have no idea what that means."

"It's not flattering," Dongho dryly replies, and Minsoo swallows.

"Ah."

"The kingdom is still divided," Dongho murmurs, gaze adopting a sort of wistful distance. "...I've been gone only hours, and I already miss it."

"How old are your kings usually elected?" Minsoo asks, and Dongho's gaze drifts to him.

"You answer it first."

"Well," Minsoo grins, "our kings are chosen when the last king sees fit to pass on his crown. My father gave me the crown a year or two ago, so I'm still figuring things out."

"Mm," Dongho murmurs, reaching up to pull off his goggles.

 _Wow_ , his eyes are stunning.

They're undeniably fox-like, his irises a deep violet and lashes thick. A scar crosses his forehead, and Minsoo watches as he stuffs his goggles in his pockets, blinking a few times as his eyes adjust to the room.

He's kinda pretty.

"Normally," Dongho starts, and Minsoo snaps back to attention, "power transfers when our kings grow too old to rule."

"Normally?"

"My father was killed in battle."

"Ah."

How do you even respond to that?

Dongho casts his gaze towards the ceiling, lips curling into a faint grin. "Your gardens are incredible."

"Thanks?"

"I've never seen anything like them."

Minsoo darts forwards, plucking a bulb from a flower and pressing it into Dongho's hands. "Have one!"

Dongho stares at him for one long moment, and Minsoo's cheeks slowly heat up as neither one moves.

"Thank you," Dongho murmurs, and Minsoo beams, reaching up to thread the stem around his ear. 

"There!"

He looks kinda funny, the bright violet petals contrasting with his silver circlet, but there's a faint grin on his lips, so Minsoo counts it as a win.

"Shall we get lunch?" Minsoo asks, and Dongho nods, pulling out his goggles once more. 

Minsoo is not sad. No siree.

"Did you feed Nyx?" the king asks, and Minsoo blinks, gaze drifting to the courtyard.

"No. Why?"

"Oh, no."

A shriek rings through the air, and Dongho and Minsoo head for the window, gaze landing on a very long and _very irritated_ dragon that's... causing property damage?

"...is this our first international issue?"

"I think so."

**Author's Note:**

>  ~~yes that's sindarin from LOTR sshsshssh i do what i want~~  
>    
> Dún's Mír - west's jewel  
> Torech -o Úgerth - den of sin
> 
> nice names huh
> 
> i think i'm gonna continue this!!! keep a lookout for more :3
> 
> [twit](https://twitter.com/i_was_human_) | [lit fic discord!](https://discord.gg/CNunB74)


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